One Rockin' Saturday Night

It's funny how life changes when you have a child. Of course you know it from the moment you bring that little bundle home from the hospital but no matter what people tell you you still have those days that cause you to reflect upon your perspectives and how they have altered drastically since you welcomed your baby into the world.

This past Saturday was one of those days for me. Chris and I had the pleasure of taking Shayden to the Zoo with my brothers John and Sam and their families. It was an AWESOME day, we met at the Zoo after the boys afternoon naps and hit it hard until dinner - which was a lovely picnic in the park where my brother Luke and his family joined us as well. I say this was one of those days because I couldn't have wanted to be anywhere else in the whole world. The weather was perfect, Shayden rode the carousal for the first time and was squealing with glee, seeing my son spend time with his uncles, aunts and cousins in which we were all thoroughly enjoying ourselves is priceless and then wrapping things up with a great picnic...what more could I ask for.

All that to say, it was one rockin' Saturday night and I am pretty sure I would not have classified that evening as rockin' at any point while I was in college and even before the last year of my life.

Here are a few highlights...

(aren't these guys good looking?)

(checking out the monkey's in style)

(fun fact: there are 42 species of Kangaroos...rock on!)

Stair Scare

Shayden gave me a little scare this morning after his breakfast. He was content and playing in the family room when I decided to put a few dishes away. Now mind you, he has never gone for the stairs before unless Chris and I are with him and we are helping him ascend them.

I realized, after only a few moments, that he was being really quite (always a bad sign) so I went to check on him...only he wasn't anywhere in sight. I ran around the corner and started up the stairs to find him AT THE TOP and smiling back at me. Oh my goodness, my heart nearly dropped from my chest. Evidently he wanted to do something upstairs and didn't feel the need to ask for help.

Thanks little buddy for keeping me on my toes and for not falling...I learned my lesson and yes the gate is in position and not moving.

Beach Week

This past week we enjoyed a wonderful family vacation, which means 24 people packed into a beach house and living together for a week...pure bliss! Seriously though, my family is awesome which means this really is a total blast for us and we wouldn't want it any other way. This year was even better than the last because we were back on the beach and in a house that actually fit us all fairly well -10 bedrooms, 7.5 baths and the largest dining table I have seen that could seat us all together!

I do have to admit that this year was a major learning curve for Chris and I. Our first family vacation with Shayden which meant learning how to juggle down time for each of us and still have the couple/family time we wanted as well. It took us a few days to find our rythmn but once we got going I was wishing we had another week to go. Shayden was a champ, he loved the beach (eating sand that is), loved the water and couldn't get enough of all the cousins to play with.

Blame it on Dad

This weekend while we were enjoying dinner with the Great GranDanna and Grandpa we looked down to find Shayden had discovered a magazine and proceeded to tear it to shreds as Chris has taught him to do at home. Now, I blame this all on Chris because he has repeatedly taught, encouraged, laughed at and thoroughly enjoyed Shayden doing this while I cautiously think this is not great behavior as I can just see myself having to keep a hawk eye on him as he peruses the library books....or paying to replace them! I did however have to whip out my camera and catch him in all his glory.

Desperate

I had to post this shot as I caught myself laughing out loud at how desperate I have become to get my chocolate/sugar fix. Chris and I are currently doing the 30 Day Shred with our girl Jillian from the Biggest Loser and are trying to keep all sweets and temptations out of the house...so what do I do, look high and low for probably what would add up to be a few hours over the course of days until I find something to curb my cravings.

Thanks to my mother and grandmother I have been permanently scarred with a major sweet tooth. I don't eat sweets in mass quantities but I have found that I do need them on a regular basis....as in my ideal world would be a sweet after every meal (save breakfast but I think my lattes count for that) and then possibly another sweet in the afternoon or late at night???? What, don't look at me like that I know there are others of you out there. And in their honor I give you a nice spoon full of peanut butter (I prefer creamy) with some chocolate chips on top...spread them around folks you only get to dip your spoon once in the pb jar.